The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1887-12-30
washangton T.etter.
rom oln Regular Correspondent


1roHu ON Regular Correspondent
WABaINaroE, ID. G. Dec. 28d 1887.
Enough bills were offered in the
Senate the first few days of the session.
10 engage the attention Of that body
for the next Heven years, hut vast
majority Of these measures win never
again see the light Of day after being
taken 10 the committee rooms.
During tie session Of the Forty
Ninth Congress, fully 10000 bills
were introduced, Of which number
about eeOo failed to pass, but it is
among the probabilities that at least
90 per cent Of these same old bills
will again be brought forward before
two monfhs viii have passed. Inthe
Fiftieth Congress, one-fourth Of the
Senate is new and one-third Of the
Housels new, and in consequence,
there win be much new Legislation
proposed, for it is o historical fact
that newly elected members Of Con
gress are ambitions to distinguish
themselves in the first term of service,
in order to Impress their constituents
with the conviction that a second cleo
ton Of the budding Statesman is nee
essary to the salvation of the country.
The oft.renurring question of
whether itwould not be bestt to abolish
the Congressional Record, again pre-.
SCENTS itself the Record was originally
designed to be merely a condensed
official report Of the proceedings of
Congress this is shown by reference
to the files of the old Globe, the pre-
deeessor of the present publication.
From being simply an intelllgible
synopsis of the doings of Congress,
encroaehment was gradually made.
upon the space of the Record until it
has become the medium through which
long-winded congressman inRict, upon
the publlc and their own constituents,
speeches, many of which were never.
delivered; for it is often the case
when the House or Senate wishes to.
avoid being bored by a tiresome
speaker, that the orator is both 81
fenced and satisfied by "leaye to print
his remarks" 1t is all the same to
the Statesman so he is successful in
his purpose to reach the voters. So
it is safe to say that the Congressional
Record, will not be abolished but that
It will continue to be the Medium of
Congressional fiatulence and elO-
quence.
For the past year the prosperity of
the Postoffice Department has been
little short of marvellous, the result of
progressive business,msthOds, and eco
nOmicaI management the records of
the Office show that there has been an
increase in one year of four million
dollars in the amount of postage
stamps sold. The Postmaster General
gives it as his opinion that there will
be no deficiency as formerly, and that
the mail sergiceis now on O self-sus,
tanning basis.
This Department has lately made A
regulation that is of special interest
to the general public, particularly dur,
ing this the holiday season, when SO
many presents are being sent through
the mails. Heretofore persons trans
porting second, third, Or fourth class
parcels in this manDsr, were requested
to specify on the outside thereof in
writing the class or kind of such mat
ter; but this is oFlongeF permissible
for, under the late ruling, packages
ofthe three classes, if written upon il
the way described, except to give thu
sender's address, are subject to lette
rates.
/ In the senate the Blair Educationa
Bill has again been taken up, ans
there is a strong probability that i
will pass both Houses, and be gstoel
/. by president Cleveland; the Depend
ent Pension Bill will aIso be pushes
forward to passage, and will likel.
meet a similar fate. A general Bank
rupt BIZ will be introduced in tn
House, and apparently il has a goo
chance of becoming = law; it give
five hundred dollars as the minimum
and provides that bankruptcy case
shall have pFeceedapce Of all eKoep
h State cases.
i THE Acadia Sentinel tells rs that i
Calcasieu men from Texas voted ia
iNED ~